Elton: 'Victoria coping well'

Sir Elton John has told how Victoria Beckham is coping well with the shock discovery that she was the victim of an alleged kidnap attempt.

Victoria had been through a "harrowing experience" but was in better spirits than she was on Sunday, Sir Elton said.

Sir Elton, who with his partner David Furnish is a close friend of the former Spice Girl and her husband, England soccer captain David, was speaking before a ceremony in central London where he was presented with the Music Industry Trusts Award.

"I spoke to Victoria about half an hour ago and she's in much better spirits than she was 1/8 on Sunday 3/8 ," he said last night.

"This has been such a harrowing experience and such a traumatic thing for her to have to go through, but they are all right.

"We are close friends and anything David and I can do to help David and Victoria, we will do so."

Workmen from specialist security firms have been called in to install new cameras and other devices at the Beckhams' Georgian-style mansion in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.

Victoria's father, Tony Adams, was also seen in the grounds yesterday consulting with security staff at the gatehouse of the multi-million pound property set in 24 acres of land.

The review of security arrangements followed a series of police raids focused on an alleged plan to hold Victoria and her sons, Brooklyn and baby Romeo, for a ransom of £5 million.

Scotland Yard acted after receiving information from the News of the World about the activities of a criminal gang.

The gang was infiltrated by an undercover reporter who allegedly discovered a plot to kidnap Victoria, and possibly her children if they were with her at the time.

A police spokesman said inquiries into the alleged kidnapping plot were continuing.

Five men were arrested in connection with alleged conspiracy to kidnap and were on police bail to return to central London police stations on November 18, pending further inquiries into those matters, the spokesman said.

:: Five men - four of Romanian origin and one Kosovo Albanian - appeared in court yesterday charged with matters unrelated to the alleged conspiracy to kidnap.

The men, charged variously with theft and conspiracy to rob, were remanded in custody at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court in central London, where they will reappear again on November 11.